A posthumous honoree and two business leaders whose careers helped shape Birmingham’s business landscape have been selected for the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame‘s Class of 2026.
The Kiwanis Club of Birmingham announced that George W. Barber Jr., Michael A. Mouron and Larry D. Thornton Sr. will be inducted during a ceremony Aug. 25 at The Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham.
The annual recognition honors business leaders who have demonstrated strong leadership while making extraordinary contributions to the Greater Birmingham region.
Barber, who died in February at age 85, built a business portfolio that extended far beyond the dairy company founded by his family. After leading the growth of Barber Dairies across the Southeast, he expanded into real estate, automotive dealerships, hospitality and marina development.
His legacy also includes the creation of Barber Motorsports Park and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of motorcycles and Lotus race cars. The museum and park occupy an 880-acre campus in eastern Birmingham and have helped establish the city as a destination for motorsports enthusiasts from around the world.
In addition to his business accomplishments, Barber was known for his philanthropy and conservation efforts. He supported more than 90 organizations across Alabama, funded hundreds of college scholarships and helped promote conservation initiatives including Alabama’s Forever Wild program.
Mouron founded Birmingham-based Capstone Development Corp., a company that helped transform the student housing industry through its “lease by the bed” model. Under his leadership, Capstone developed approximately $3 billion in student housing communities across the country before he retired as chairman in 2012.
Following his retirement from Capstone, Mouron continued investing in redevelopment projects that preserved and revitalized prominent Birmingham landmarks. His projects included the Valley Hotel in Homewood, the restoration of the historic Birmingham Greyhound bus terminal and the renovation of the former Federal Reserve Building in downtown Birmingham.
Through The Mouron Family Foundation, he and his wife, Kathy, have supported numerous civic and educational initiatives, including major gifts to The University of Alabama.
Thornton’s path to the Hall of Fame began in education before he moved into the business world. After teaching high school art, he joined Coca-Cola, where he rose through the ranks to become an advertising manager. In 1992, he became the first African American to own a McDonald’s franchise in Birmingham and later served on the board of directors of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United.
Thornton later expanded his influence through mentoring and workforce development efforts. In 2018, he founded the Why Not Win Institute, an organization focused on leadership development and helping young people reach their potential. His book and leadership curriculum are now used at dozens of colleges and universities, and his story has been adapted into a graphic novel and school outreach program.
Thornton’s business success helped open doors for future minority entrepreneurs, while his leadership programs continue to encourage young people to pursue their goals.
Collectively, the three inductees helped shape Birmingham through business development, philanthropy, education, workforce development and civic investment spanning several decades.
The Class of 2026 will be formally inducted during a luncheon ceremony scheduled for Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Harbert Center.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
